Experimental Prostate-Cancer Drug Shows Promise

Science Daily has just published an article describing how an experimental drug, currently being tested by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center against breast and lung cancer, shows promise in fighting the brain cancer glioblastoma and prostate cancer.

“An experimental drug…being tested against breast and lung cancer shows promise in fighting the brain cancer glioblastoma and prostate cancer, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found in two preclinical studies. The drug’s actions, observed in isolated human cells in one trial and in rodents in the other, are especially encouraging because they attacked not only the bulk of the tumor cells but also the rare cancer stem cells that are believed to be responsible for most of a cancer’s growth, said Dr. Jerry Shay, professor of cell biology and a senior co-author of both papers. The glioblastoma study appears in the January issue of Clinical Cancer Research. The prostate cancer study is available online in the International Journal of Cancer.” [emphasis added]

Geron Corporation (GERN) which manufactures GRN163L under the name imetelstat, provided the drug for both studies.